A matter of taste

Last week we tried a simple experiment to show the influence aromas can have on the tasting process. But what if we isolated the sense of taste from the sense of smell?

Interestingly, a human can identify up to 10,000 different smells, but can only discern six different tastes: sweet,sour, bitter, salt, fat, and umami. The latter is relatively new to the tasting table, and is a blend of two Japanese words—”umai” which translates as delicious, and “mi” which means taste. It is found in MSG and many other foods, including tomatoes, celery and cheese.

A lifetime of tasting food inspires us to expect, and look forward to, certain flavours associated with particular foods and beverages. When we drink our morning coffee or tea, we already anticipate sweet and bitter flavours. When we taste a wine, our palate registers sweetness and acidity on the taste buds. The temperature inside the mouth can accentuate these flavours. But there is more to the tasting experience—sensations of texture, creaminess and tannic astringency on the tongue, cheeks and gums gives a “mouthfeel” of the wine.

We each have a lifetime of experience tasting food that provides the necessary tools to experience the full taste of wine. Taste, therefore, depends on individual preference. We all take our coffee in different ways—with or without cream or sugar. Some don’t even like coffee. So everyone will have a different appreciation of the wide spectrum of flavours to be found in a glass of wine.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
I was fortunate to taste the upcoming release of Norman Hardie’s top-drawer wines: the Cuvée L 2012 Chardonnay and the Cuvée L 2012 Pinot.

These wines blend Niagara and County fruit to showcase the best of both regions. Niagara offers distinctive fruit notes, while the County introduces excellent acidity to make these wines shine. The Chardonnay, in particular, caught my attention by its fruit notes, creaminess and light, spicy finish. The Pinot is a rich mouth of cherry, licorice, and cranberry, with hints of smoked bacon and a lingering acidic finish.

The wines will be bottled this week and will be released for sale shortly thereafter. They are special occasion wines that have the potential to be set down for five or more years.

The wine, when released, will be priced at $65 and will be available at the winery on Greer Rd.